FUNDATIONS OF CURRICULUM

1. PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS2.
PERENNIALISM Aim: To educate the rational person; cultivate
intellect
Role: Teachers assist students to think with
reason (critical thinking HOSTS)
PLATO, ARISTOTLE OR
Focus: Classical subjects, literary analysis,
THOMAS AQUINAS Curriculum is enduring
Trends: Use of great books (Bible, Koran,
Classics) and Liberal Arts
ESSENTIALISM Aim: To promote intellectual growth of learners
to become competent
Role: Teachers are sole authorities in the subject
area
Focus:
Essential skills of 3R’s, essential subjects
Trends: Back to basics, Excellence in education,
cultural literacy

PROGRESSIVISM Aim: Promote democratic social living

Role: Teacher lead for growth and lifelong
learners
Focus: Interdisciplinary subjects. Learner-
centered. Outcomes-based
Trends: Equal opportunities for all.
Contextualized curriculum, Humanistic
education
John Dewey (1859-1952

RECONSTRUCTIONISM Aim: To improve and reconstruct society.

Education for change.
Role: Teacher acts as agent of change and
reforms
Focus: Present and future educational landscape
Trends: School and curricular reform. Global
education. Collaboration and Convergence,
Standards and Competencies

Theodore Brameld
(1904- 1987)
 HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS
PERSONS CONTRIBUTIONS/THEORIES AND PRINCIPLES

 He started the curriculum development

movement
 Curriculum is a science that emphasizes
students’ needs
 Curriculum prepares learners for adult life
 Objectives and activities should group
together when tasks are clarified.
3.

 Like Bobbit, he posited that curriculum is

science and emphasizes students' needs.
 Objectives and activities should match.
Subject matter or content relates to objectives.

Franklin Bobbit (1876 - 1956)

Werret Charters (1875 - 1952)

 Curricula are purposeful activities which are

child centered
 The purpose of the curriculum is child
development and growth. He introduced this
project method where teacher and student
plan the activities.
 Curriculum develops social relationships and
small group instructions.
William Kilpatrick (1875 - 1952)

 Curriculum should develop the whole child. It

is child-centered.
 With the statement of objectives and related
learning activities, curriculum should produce
outcomes.
 He emphasized social studies and suggested
that the teacher plans curriculum in advance.
Harold Rugg (1886-1960)
  Curriculum is organized around social function
of themes, organized knowledge and learner's
interest
 Curriculum, instruction and learning are
interrelated
 Curriculum is a set of experiences. Subject
matter is developed around social functions
and learners' interests

Hollis Caswell (1901-1989

 Curriculum is a science and an extension of

school's philosophy. It is based on students'
needs and interest.
 Curriculum is always related to instruction,
Subject matter is organized in terms of
knowledge, skills and values
 The process emphasizes problem solving.
Curriculum aims to educate generalists and
not specialists
Ralph Tyler (1902-1994)

o She contributed to the theoretical and

pedagogical foundations of concepts
development and critical thinking in social
studies curriculum

o She helped lay the foundation for diverse

students’ population

Hilda Taba (1902-1967)

 He describes how curriculum change is a

cooperative endeavor
 Teachers and curriculum specialist constitute
the professional core of planners
 Significant improvement is achieved through
group activity.
PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATION
HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY
https://www.slideshare.net/arjayalteza/foundations-of-a-
curriculum
SOCIAL FOUNDATIONS OF CURRICULUM

 Influence of society and social context

in education
 Things that surround individuals can
change, develop their behavior
 Considered two fundamental elements
which are schools and civil society

Emile Darkheim
(1858-1917)
OTHER THEORISTS

 Education as a means of shaping the person and

society through critical reflections and
“conscientization”.
 Teachers use questioning and problem solving
approach to raise students’ consciousness
 Emphasis on questioning problem posing and
critical thinking
Paolo Freire  Major book: Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 1968
1921- 1997

 Curriculum organized around the needs of

Society and the students
 Reduce student conformity in classroom
 Constant need for school improvement
 Emphasis on active learning and critical thinking
 Involvement of students in planning curriculum
content and instructional activities
 Need to align content with standard
John Goodlad
 Major book: A Place Called Schools, 1984; What
1920-2014 are Schools for? 1989

 Broaden the conception of curriculum to enrich the

practice
 Understand the nature of the educational
experience
 Curriculum involves multiple disciplines
 Curriculum should be studied from a historical,
racial, gendered, phenomenological, postmodern,
William F. Pinar theological and international perspectives
1947